Vented container and relief valve therefor



May 3, 1932- C. M. GERE 1,857,015

VENTED CONTAINER AND RELIEF' VALVE THEREFGR Filed Dec. 2, 1930 me/nto@C'Zaz'z" 1y. Gere aub/:Maga

' Patented May 3, 1932 l UNITED STATES CLAIR M. GEREOF BELFAST, NEW YORKVENTEDJCONTAINER AND RELIEF VALVE THEREFOR Application led December 2,1930. Serial No. 499,600.

This invention relates to containers, particularly adapted to the retailpackaging of cheese or other products in which a curing processinvolving `a fermentative reaction of the product` may take placewithinthe container.

The invention also relates to the construc- .tion of a relief valvewhich while of general utilityis adapted in particular to the ventin ofsuch containers ,as are above describe to relieve them of excesspressure of the carbon dioxide gas generated by the fermention andpreventing the entrance of atmospheric air into the container..

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following-descriptionof illustrative embodiments thereof proceed. Y

In the drawings in which the same characters of reference have been vemployed zo throughout the severaliigures to designate ldentlcal parts:y l Figure 1 is a, side elevation, partly in section showing the mouthportion of a jar or container; s Figure 2 is a cross section taken alongth line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the liner and valve; l Figure 4 is aperspective View of the valve an per se;

Figure 5 is a vertical section through another type of jar or container;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the lid.. the central portion beingbroken away to show the valve; and

Figure 7 is perspective view of the lid,

v airanged in such position that it can be viewed from beneath.

Referring now inv detail to the several figures and first adverting tothat form of theI invention shown in Figures 1 to 4, the 1 ar 1 whichmaybe of glass or anv other suitable material is provided with a lid 2of tin, said lid being" secured to the mouth 3 of the jar,

' 45 by having the sides of the lid crimped beneath the peripheral bead7 which surrounds the mouthof the jar. The crimping may not becontinuous but may be provided at spaced intervals. t A liner 8 ofpaperwhich is normally in the form of a flat disk lies within the lid 2 andwhen the latter is crimped against the mouth of the jar, the edge of theliner is compressed between said jar and an' annular rib 8 pressed Thecuring or aging of the cheese may therefore take place within thecontainer with the attendant advantages that there is no loss of iweight through evaporation, no formation of n rind and no opportunityfor mould growth.

It is known however, that the fermentative process is accompanied by theevolvement of carbon dioxide gas with the risk of swelling the head ofthecontainer or perhaps bursting it. It therefore, becomes essential toprovide the container with some means for relieving it of the excesspressure of the carbon dioxide gas and at the same time preventingaccess of atmospheric air to the containedproduct.

lI have therefore, designed a valvel for this purpose which through itsinherent exibility is adaptable to any type of container or to beattached to any kind of surface andthe cost of which will add onlynegligibly to the entire cost of the container. This valve is shown perse in Figure 4, and in combination with the lid and liner in Figures 1,2 and 3. The valve which in general is designated by the referencecharacter l0 comprises a pair of disks of flexible material such asrubber, suy perposed and secured together in any suitable manner as bybeing cemented by rubber clement.V The lower disk 11is provided with aslit 12 which may preferably be in the, form of short slits intersectingat right angles as shown. The upper disk 13 is formed with a hole orwell 14 with which the slit inthe lower disk communicates. In that formof the in- ,vention shown in Figure 1, the lowenface of f the valve iscemented to the upper side of the 45 of atmosphere, the principalpurpose of the in a fluid-tight manner. The latter element with saidchamber and said li'er member has a hole registering with the slit i12and havlng an aperture exposlng sald lntersect-I placing said slit incommunication with the 1n sl1ts. chamber 'of the container. 'The lid 2is n testlmony whereofI aiiix llpy s1 ature. punched with a small vent16 registering with l CLAIR G RE. 70 the well 14.

In operation, when the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas in thecontainer'rises above a determined value, the middle portion of the lolower disk, which is unsupported by the upper 75 disk, bulges out intothe well 14 'causing the slit 12 to spread, creating an opening throughwhich the excess pressure of carbon dioxide is relieved. The lower disk11 then resumes its 15 planar condition closing theslit so thatatmospheric air will not enter to diffuse with so and dilute the carbondioxide gas retained'in the containers. Itis to be understood that mouldcannot propagate except in the pres- 20 ence of oxygen and that' whilethe carbon di- 8'5 oxide gas remains undiluted, the cheese is surroundedby a sterile medium.

It is of course, optional in thatform of the invention shown in Figure 1to cement the valve either to the liner or to the inner sur- I 90 faceof the tin lid itself. f

' In that form of the invention shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the lineris dispensed with and the lid is of slightly different type whichhowever, is immaterial to the purpose of the` invention. The valve 10 inthis instance is cemented to the lower face of the lid. The operation isexactly the same, the lower disk 11 bulging under pressure and resumingits normal form in which the slit is closed, when the pressure has beenrelieved.

It is to be understood that the valve being flexible lends itselfreadily for attachment to any surfaces whether they be straight ordished or irregular in contour, and that the slit forms an eiiicientmeans for preventing the entranceof atmospheric air into the containerunder conditions in wwhich 'the pressure within the .container is neverless than, that valve being to prevent diffusion of the atmosphere withthe contained carbon dioxide gas. l

It is obvious that in addition to its, indi- 50 cated preferred utility,the container with the valve therefore is, equally well suited to thepackaging of Sauerkraut or other foodstuffs in whichfermentativeprocesses are taking place. 7 55 What I claim is:

Receptacle comprising a container and a lid member therefor,I a linermember in said lid member clamped between said lid member and saidcontainer, and a relief valve 00 between said lid member and said linermeml 125 ber, said valve being secured to one of 4said members andhaving transversely disposed intersecting slits on its lower face and acommunicating chamber onits upper face, said 66 lid member having a ventin communication 13

